


Dark Sheep

by Makowo



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Dangan Ronpa: Trigger Happy Havoc, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Affairs, Alternate Universe - Hitman, Alternate Universe - Non-Despair (Dangan Ronpa), Angst, Attempted Murder, Betrayal, Brainwashing, Drama, Drugs, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Erotophonophilia, F/M, Gore, Hurt No Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, Internal Conflict, Makoto Owns a Snake, Murder, Not Beta Read, Paranoia, Swearing, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Unhealthy Relationships, Violence, temporary insanity
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-11-30
Packaged: 2020-10-10 03:46:57
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 4
Words: 13,344
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20521424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Makowo/pseuds/Makowo
Summary: The life of a hitman is harsh. Makoto should have known this before deciding to go into the business. He never knew he'd need to do this to someone he knows, but that's just part of the business. Just another hit. Just another kill on the count.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is based off of a hitman rp me and a friend are doing rn, so updates may be a little sporadic. We're about halfway or so through it however, so updates might come out quick! sorry teras 😔

Makoto collapses onto his bed with a loud sigh, not too worried of anyone hearing. No one's currently in the house after all. Only him and his pet snake Tenshi, waiting for his fiancée to get home from work. Being a detective must be hard, with so much crime about as of late. So much death going on in Tokyo, it'd make him fear for his life. It would, were it not for one little detail.

The front door clicks, signaling someone entering. Makoto immediately perks up, yawning before begrudgingly getting up from the comfort of the bed. "Makoto, I'm home!" Kyoko calls for what he assumes good measure, meaning that she must have run into trouble. Again. He's not too bothered by it though, since Kyoko always escapes without problem. There's a reason she's a famed detective.

"Hi Kyoko." Makoto replies with a yawn, entering the living room. "How was work today?" He asks out of habit, though with a tad more urgency. He can see how she appears to still hold a shred of panic from something, checking out the windows into the darkness of their home nestled nicely at the edge of a forest. A simple home, though they could buy one much grander if they wished. But they're fine with here, comfortably away from prying eyes.

"It went fine, as usual. I was following up on a tip I was given last night, which is why I'm late." She starts as she turns to face her fiancé, disappointment radiating off her. "Sadly, I believe I was close to apprehending the culprit behind my current case tonight, but they were supposedly taken out by the owner of the nightclub I was at." She says, expression pensive as she turns back to the items in her bag. "Thankfully, it wasn't in vain. They're apparently a male, which will help in narrowing down our suspects greatly." She at least got something. It wasn't known the culprit was male until the boss decided to blab about it. That was all she could get though.

"Oh, I'm sorry Kyoko, but hey, maybe we c-" Makoto then processes her words, and does not hold any happiness for what he's heard. "U-um, if I can know... wh-what's the case you're on about, exactly?" He stutters, but not out of fear for her safety. Well, okay, partly out of fear for her. Of course he'll worry for Kyoko! He does it quite a lot, and seemingly much more lately when she chatters about the case she was put on just at the beginning of this month. At first she complained about the workload being so suddenly dumped onto her, but that was only one time. After that, she almost seems to be enjoying herself with the mystery, a fitting challenge that isn't particularly annoying, more... interesting. At least, that's what he assumes the appeal is.

"Oh? Taking interest in my cases for once?" She says, partial amusement and curiosity mixed into her oft cold tone. She makes no move to face him however, which Makoto is thankful for. "I might as well tell you. It's a very captivating case, after all." She talks of cases as if they weren't of murder and death. Sometimes he finds it almost scary, but then again, he has no place to be scared about such a thing. Not right now, at the very least. "I am currently investigating a string of murders correlating to a hitman that appeared not four months ago, known for the dedication he has for hunting down his hits."

"If you would happen to possess any clues to the identity of  **The Faithful Sapling** , feel free to tell me."

Makoto's blood runs cold. Oh, damn his luck. There must always be bad to outweigh the good, he assumes. But... why like this? Why does she need to be investigating this case, of all cases?! Internal panic courses through Makoto's veins, so he makes up an excuse. "Oh, that's... interesting." He says with a nervous chuckle, rubbing the nape of his neck. "Uhm... I need to lay down, I bumped my head when returning from work today, so... s-see ya!" He replies in a cheerful manner, stutter much sparser than he thought it'd be. It still doesn't fail to give Kyoko an ounce of suspicion, but only an ounce. She wouldn't ever suspect him of this, after all.

"I'll be there in a few minutes then!" Kyoko calls, but Makoto pays it no mind in favor of collapsing onto his bed, a single thought floats to his mind. 'Why does she need to be chasing after her own fiancé?' His mind whines, and Makoto debates whether to cry or laugh insanely. He's being hunted down by a famous detective, and his damn future wife! He's so fucked! They've already had far too many close calls and near misses with one another, and it's been Kyoko all this time!

He distantly hears the shower being turned on, but only looks up when he spots Kyoko walk back into the bedroom. Her light purple hair's clearly been freshly dried, still slightly damp as it drapes over her back. He can't help his staring, but it's for other reasons as well. He tries his best not to show his fear of what she's revealed tonight. Kyoko happens to not notice his stare until she's laying down beside him, failing to notice the truth behind the emotion in his eyes before looking up to meet the hazel with her own soft purple. Staying silent, he moves closer to her, attracted by the ever-present scent of lavender that follows Kyoko wherever she goes. Eyes still shut, he begins attempting to doze off, but can't. There's no fucking way he could get an ounce of rest after what he's just learned. How... how could he keep lying to Kyoko like this? What if she finds out? What if she gets hurt? His mind playing it over and over to try and think of some way to get out of this horrible car crash waiting to happen, not even registering when she says goodnight and dozes off in a murderer's arms.

* * *

Makoto stirs from sleep caused by him passing out sometime in the early hours from stress when the sun's high in the sky, only just now noticing Kyoko's gone. Good, she's likely left for work. She'll be gone for a while, and hopefully she'll have another long night. Though he doesn't really wish for that. They've been distant lately, and he'd adore going off to spend time with her. But too many risks, his murderous mind informs. She could try to interrogate Makoto, then she'd find out. And he doesn't want that, right?

Keep lying. He has to keep lying. He's backed himself into a corner without realizing, and he doesn't know how to fix this anymore. But he needs the money. He needs it! That's why he's still doing this. It's why he continues his career as a hitman, even now. It's... it's a terrible, terrible job, but it pays extremely well. It's a miracle Kyoko hasn't asked about the details of his career by now. Perhaps she just wishes to give him some form of privacy, just as he usually gives to her. But... what if she does one day?

The buzz of his phone makes Makoto jolt, and he's quick to answer. It's not often that he gets text messages from anyone but his friends, so he's expecting one of them. Not a text from an unknown number that says "wakey wakey mistew hitman! uwu~ ✨ !" Which immediately puts him off. He has no clue who this person could be, but they know he's a hitman. They just might know his identity, so who knows what else they know?

He swiftly scoops up the device, opening up the contact and texting them back. "Who is this? How did you get my number?" After he sends it he realizes his mistake, sounding far too panicky for his own liking. However, it appears Makoto's luck is striking again.

"awwwww, u dont even wecognize youw favowite customew? ówó im huwt!" He'd recognize that style of texting anywhere. Honestly, he's surprised she hasn't already changed it mid-conversation. "Anyways." She sends quickly, followed by another message. "CALL ME ALREADY YA FUCKIN DIPSHIT <33333"

Ah, there it is. He sighs, pushing away that exasperation to call her. "Yes, Enoshima-san?"

"Ah, ah, ah~" The girl tsks, and he's sure she's waving a finger as she speaks. "It's Enoshima-_sama, _ dummy! Jeez, you'd think you've only been working for four months or something!"

"I have been only working for four months, Enoshima-san."

"That's besides the point!" The girl waves him off(or at least, Makoto imagines she does), humming happily. "I've got a job for you! It's sure to make up for your fuckin pitiful one just last night, eh?" Naegi's sure he'd be more offended if he weren't used to this kind of treatment from her since high school. "You wanna take it? I know you wanna~"

Makoto lays back, mulling over her offer with a nonchalant expression. He does wish to get Kyoko a specific set of gloves for their anniversary. They're extremely pricy, but he's sure Junko will give him plenty of yen for it. Then again, he did just get into a pretty close call. Taking a hit so soon wouldn't be ideal. "I'm not so sure, Enoshima-san. I mean, the detective that's after me is pretty hot on my trail. I think I'd be better off waiting for a bit, so that I can lose that heat."

"Oh? So you're... you're refusing my offer?" Her voice turns whiny, tears likely welling up at her crystal blue eyes. "Really? My favorite hitman, forsaking me like this?" She stifles a sob in the most fake manner possible, moving the phone away to continue her pitiful little act. "I guess I'll just have to find another favorite hitman..."

Makoto takes a sharp breath, loud and clear over the phone. He would've heard a harsh bark of laughter being stifled were it not for his utter panic at her implications. "W-wait a sec!" Makoto fumbles with the phone, sitting up and swiftly bringing it back to his ear. With another hand he grabs a nearby notepad and pen, flipping to a page lacking in doodles or other hit lists, contacts, plans, etc. "I-I'll do it! J-just tell me the hit." She's his highest paying and most frequent customer. If he loses her, then he's lost the favor of the most powerful woman he's really ever known.

"Alright, alright, ya little greedy bitch. Listen close!" Makoto hears Junko pulls out what he assumes to be a clipboard or something, hearing a pen tap against it. "The hit shall be staying in a high-end hotel called Hotel Hajimari, attending a business convention in Kyoto. They'll likely be on the top floor, taking the penthouse. Guards will be accompanying them, though I'm sure with your lucky and fake innocence you can easily get them away to be alone with the hit. An associate of mine will be helping you by making the cameras malfunction in the hotel for a few hours, plenty of time for you to get in and out. You can dump the body in the dumpster in the alley behind the hotel. My associate will come pick it up thirty minutes after you text me that you've dumped it there. If it is there, then I will immediately send the money to your bank account." Makoto finds himself brushing off how she can even access his bank account. Not that she'd need his money, anyways. "I would prefer you to knock them out rather than kill them. I don't wish to divulge my reasoning for why, only that it'd be nice if you did so." Makoto knows she actually means 'do it or I'm not paying you' which is definitely not the ideal.

Makoto writes down every words she says, already planning out how he'll do this and what to bring. "Alright!" He says, nearly closing his book before stopping. "A-ah, I forgot! What's the name of the hit?"

Junko sets the clipboard and pen down, and he can hear the smile in her voice as she speaks. "Oh? Their name? Well..."

Makoto's stomach drops when he hears the name of who he's going to be killing.

"Togami Byakuya, the heir to the Togami corporation."


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> aw yeah guess who's finally getting that writing energy back

Makoto squirms in his bed, finding himself having gone breathless and pale. A bead of sweat trails down his forehead, thinking about the prospect over and over again. "I-I..." His voice cracks, and he swears he can hear Junko smile on the other end of the phone line. He couldn't kill a friend, right? Sure, him and Togami have a rocky relationship considering how snobby the guy could be, but they got into some interesting debates from time to time. They're... friends. They haven't spoken in a while, but they're friends still. The bond, though old, still lingers. And maybe... maybe he could go and warn him instead! Yeah! "Uhm... sure, I guess. I'll see what I can do."

"Epic!" She lets out a short bark of laughter, almost wolfish in nature that grinds along his eardrums. "I'll have a good billion yen or two waitin' for ya! That is, if you succeed ya little bastard!" The girl suddenly calms, pausing her excited display. "If I see Byaku-chan leave that hotel unscathed, I'm sure you can figure out the consequences." She adds threateningly, a hiss intertwined with her low voice. "Thanks Mako-chan! You're the best!" She cheers after a moment of terrifying silence, the line being cut off before he can even get the chance to reply to her harsh threat. Though, he supposes she would have simply laughed at his stuttering.

The phone slips out of Makoto's limp hand, thumping when it hits the carpet floor. He pays it no mind however, slumping against the headboard and staring blankly at the wall in thought. He's accepted the job to kill a friend. And despite his willingness to do it just to save him, it still leaves a horrible feeling in his stomach, to know that he might be getting killed instead. That Togami might die, despite his efforts and it'll all be in vain and-

He's so scared. He doesn't want to die. He **won't die.**

Makoto stands up, going over to their closet and pulling out a travel bag. He'll have to pack for a few days, to trick Kyoko into thinking he's going out for a trip or something. She's a detective, and though he's her fiancé, she'd catch little details like that. His heart aches as he packs, but he ignores it in favor of planning. Perhaps he could pack a weapon? It'd be a good idea...

He places a tiny handgun into a hidden compartment in the bag, spotting his phone. Ah, he should actually tell Kyoko where he's going. Or, well, where he isn't going. She'll need to know, to feed into the little trick. Trick makes it sound far too innocent however. A trick is something small, perhaps. It's not tied to a ploy of murder. To cause the death of another human being.

He's picked up the phone and dialed Kyoko's number before he knows it, hearing her greet him on the other end of the line. "K... Kyoko..." Makoto can't help but breathe out the words, trying to hide the whimper in his voice. "I... I'm going out of town for a few days, o-on a business trip. I hope that's okay. I hate to leave you so suddenly, but this is an important trip. Please, take good care of Tenshi for me, alright?" The lies spill so much easier as he goes on, though the weight of guilt for them only grows harsher upon his bloodied heart.

"Alright, Makoto. But are you okay?" Of course she'd ask, no matter how much Naegi wished for her not to. It's not out of suspicion for whatever activities he may be getting up to, but only out of unbridled worry for her fiancé. He must admit, he tries to hide his own problems at times to make Kyoko not need to worry for him. But, she's been with him for so long she knows him well. Not that his stutter wasn't clear as day. "Did something happen?"

"No!" He practically shouts, but winces at how awful that sounds. "I-I mean... no Kyoko, I'm fine. I'm just a little nervous about the trip since it's so last minute. I'll see you in a couple of days. I... I love you." His thumb hits the end call button before he can consciously make the movement, though he doesn't regret it. His choice has left him with a sickening bout of dread coiling in his veins, hissing so so loudly in warning he thinks his ears might just bleed at any moment. But, he doesn't listen.

It's just like any other hit, after all. Just another hit.

* * *

Makoto finds himself smiling when he arrives at the hotel, stretching when he exits the car. The drive had been terribly long after all, bringing need for several stops over the course of a couple of hours. He's glad to finally be out of it. Grabbing his luggage, he locks the car and enters the hotel's lobby, in awe of the interior that's just as bright and vibrant in golds, silvers, and blues as the exterior. A soft tune hums from his lips, speaking to the man behind the desk. Room number, key, and spare key obtained, he takes off for the stairs considering the elevators would be incredibly risky if someone were in them. The stairs are often empty though, he theorizes by the amount of elevators he spotted around. It'll be a long climb, but it'll be worth it.

His thoughts are interrupted by the sound of a faint buzz, feeling something vibrate twice in his pocket. Stopping at the fourth flight of empty stairs, he leans against the wall with his luggage beside him to read the message. He isn't sure wether to be happy or saddened that it's Junko. Then he chooses saddened, because what's the reason to be happy? Then again, shouldn't he be more optimistic? Maybe she's gonna cancel the hit! What a nice dream.

"eyyyyyyyyyyy eggy-chan! hows that lil job comin along? ôwô" He reads mentally in a high-pitched voice, sickly sweet in a way that could leave him dizzy from the real deal.

"Just arrived at the hotel. I'm locating the target now." He pauses, then sends a second text. "And what are you currently doing exactly?" He almost cringes at how snappy those words could be taken, but he opts for a slight wince instead. Who knows what Junko's reaction could be. She's a wild card in any situation. A bad one.

"nothin u gotta kno abt, ya fuckin cunt >:p" Ah, he thought that's what she'd say. Either that, or she'd probably make an exaggerated lie or actually tell the truth in a somewhat flirty way. Huh, wild how he can still recall her personality so well. Then again it isn't that hard to remember such a chaotic personality. Before he can decide to muse on their high school days, however, another message arriving with a buzz of the device within his hand, clamped tight in his grasp.

"I was just curious if you'd be interested in becoming my personal hitman."

It feels like his world's been dipped into a pleasurable oblivion at that. He's frozen to his spot, reading the offer over and over. Junko, if not made clear, is as powerful as she is rich. And if she can throw around a few billion yen for a simple hit? Surely she's rich as hell. Becoming her personal hitman, however... he's heard of her personal employees' rewards. Not only would they get a lifetime of protection from other organizations and gain large sums of money, they'd be adored by her. Those special few chosen to be by her side, her absolute favorites. A deal one would have to be batshit insane to refuse.

And Makoto? Well, Makoto is not insane by any means! So he considers it. He considers such a dream, to have all the riches in the world and get his jobs(for Junko! His best customer!) done as quickly as possible without any more interference. Ah, the idea of being by his best customer's side as a loyal servant, carrying out her orders to kill on a whim... _ O-oh fuck, the idea of killing alone made such a wonderfully strange sensation run its way through him, drool trailing from his open lazy smile while a shudder of delight runs through him- _

Wait. No. Makoto slaps a hand over his mouth upturned in an elated smile, feeling it drop in an instant. No, no no no! This isn't what he is! This isn't what he's doing this all for! He had promised himself on his first hit, not to do this for the pleasure or entertainment of it. This job, it's solely monetary. That's why he kills, to make a living. Sacrificing other people's lives to get money in return... ha, what a terrible life he leads. But he's far, far too into this to back out now. Continue, or perish. That is the life he lives, and he forces himself to be content with it.

Ah, he needs to reply. He can see she's typing now. "I... I don't know." He sends, regretting it immediately. The implications of doubting his answer, doubting the idea of not taking the deal and falling into her claws are apparent with that, so he decides to follow it up swiftly with something else. “As far as I know, I'd need to leave the people I love, which I'm not very keen on doing any time soon. Besides, you insult me every other text. I kinda doubt you see me as an equal and rather a dog of some sort." 

"thats how i treat every1 eggy-chan, u kno that! oh oh! i also got one of my personals to slip a little handy thing in your bag! dont question it hehe" Makoto lets a sigh slip out, deciding not to check his bag just yet. He must admit, she has a point. She's been like this since high school it seems, perhaps even before then. No, most likely since before then, and maybe she's always been this way. "If u ever wanna take me up on it tho, im always ready! uwo~✨" That's a good point to end the conversation. He sends a simple thumbs up emoji, before turning off his phone and continuing to make the long trek up the empty hotel stairs. Off to Togami he goes!

Off to Togami he goes, so that his life can finally e n d.

* * *

Togami Byakuya finishes up his lunch, putting away his own dishes into the kitchen. He'd much rather do things himself, rather than leave it to the agents guarding him. He had hoped that this would be the trip he could finally get himself away from things and relax, but being well known is troublesome he supposes. Three guards were forced to accompany him, though he did manage to prevent any other staff from coming. A win, to some degree.

A knock at the door does not make Byakuya perk up, but rather a bodyguard instead. They stride over to the door, peeking out before opening it to a crack. "Do you hold any business affiliated with Togami Byakuya?" They ask in a flat, emotionless tone. Byakuya himself continues to pay it no mind, potentially being someone lower than him arriving to simply ogle, wether it be at his presence or perhaps the penthouse itself, though he doubts the latter.

"U-um... y-yes," The person starts, voice rilling up familiarity. They sound older, but only a little. "I-I'm an old high school friend of his, N-Naegi Makoto." That explains it then. Byakuya sets down the dishes he was near the beginning of cleaning up, drying his hands to march to the door. "I'd... really like to speak with him, please. B-but go ahead and ask him first, I don't mind!" He catches the boy say, which is practically inviting the guards to refuse him.

"Naegi-kun?" The guard turns to look at his employer, and Byakuya just barely catches a glimpse of a familiar spike of brown hair that's very hard to miss. Judging by the way his spike of hair wags(a very strange feature of Makoto's existence, not that it's of much importance other than further emotional expression), it's clear he's quite excited to hear Byakuya. The heir shoos the guard away from the door, not accepting any hushed complaint about "his safety" in favor of motioning for Makoto to just go ahead and enter already.

As expected the boy eagerly enters, a bright smile on his face. At first glance it'd seem he hasn't changed a bit, but that has yet to be seen. Only a fool makes judgements of someone within seconds of meeting them. He holds out a hand, and Byakuya notices the shakiness of the action. Something must be troubling him. "It's... g-good to see you again, Togami-kun..." A voice crack, clear effort to hide it but failed miserably. "Glad to know that you've been doing well."

Togami takes his hand, giving it a quick shake before retracting. "I assume you have a good reason for visiting me?" He asks, and though the words themselves are harsh his tone is a little softer than usual. Makoto appears to pick up on that, his mood bouncing back instantly. "It has been some time since I've been able to see you in person, I suppose." He turns, giving a sharp glare and a curt nod at the door to the agents. He still has power over them, so of course they'll begrudgingly agree to let them have some time alone. "Feel free to sit down." He offers, motioning to the white couch in the room.

Naegi takes the offer with eagerness, collapsing onto it with a relieved sigh. "I don't suppose you decided to take the stairs all the way up, did you?"

The shorter male, dressed in a plain white dress shirt with a simple suit jacket and slacks, chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand. Unusually fancy clothing for the boy most likely, but he probably wished not to look to casual for this reunion. "Ah, yeah... I was nervous to go near the elevators, so I decided to just take the stairs..." A sheepish smile adorns his face, face dusted with a pink blush of embarrassment. "I kinda regret that now."

Byakuya would pity the boy, were it not such an idiotic mistake he made. He gives a simple roll of his eyes, arms crossed over his chest after straightening his royal blue tie some. "We have only two hours to speak before I must go take care of other endeavors, if you wished to know." Byakuya stands, gaze darting to the entrance of the kitchen. "Would you perhaps like some tea? Or coffee, if you've begun to prefer such." They could have reunited in high school class gatherings over the years, but Togami's never been one for those. He... also couldn't manage to make the time for them.

Makoto's eyes light up, the boy getting up from the couch. "Oh, yeah! Do you mind if I help? We could... make tea for each other, i-if that's okay." His blush turns the slightest shade darker, awkwardly shuffling in place. "I-I don't know, I thought it'd be nice..." He chuckles awkwardly.

Byakuya stops him from saying any more, a sharp scoff of exasperation quick to make the boy pause. "We can do that, as long as you still recall how to do it since high school." Sakura and Celestia had decided to teach everyone how to brew actually decent tea, and he's taken those lessons to heart. Some did as well, and he's sure Makoto would have, but he's not completely sure. He's no Leon or Hagakure that likely forgot about it as quickly as they picked it up, but he's still kind of... dull at times. Okay yeah he's just calling Makoto stupid.

"Of course!" The shorter man(he'd not describe him as short, but he's still shorter than Byakuya himself) chirps in a cheery manner. "I'd never forget about that! I make some for Kyoko sometimes. She likes how I make tea." He's clearly proud of it, considering the happy blush dusting his tan complexion. "I usually only make her some when she's really stressed, even though she doesn't ever ask for it. It's just easy to tell when she's stressed..." Naegi trails off, his brow subtly furrowing.

Byakuya decides to discard the idea of getting him to speak more about the topic, considering he was very headstrong about not troubling others with his problems. That unhealthy habit's likely either ebbed away over the years, or just become more prevalent. Most likely the latter, considering Kyoko's line of work. Though he's sure the boy has work friends. Perhaps he should ask about that... "Well, come on. Let's go brew some tea, and then we can catch up on one another's lives." Togami's words jolt Naegi from his thoughts, the pair swiftly entering the kitchen.

"U-um, do you mind if I make some tea first?" Togami shakes his head in response, not minding if the boy makes it first. He's sure he won't mess it up. "Thanks!" He looks through the kitchen, Byakuya quickly grabbing what they'll need for brewing, including some fresh black tea leaves, as his old friend had suggested to make. "I'll be sure to try my best!"

The pair make small talk as Makoto brews the tea, catching up on one another's lives as promised. "So, I don't suppose you two have considered children as of yet?" Byakuya asks to prevent silence from attempting to settle over them.

The other man shakes his head, chuckling a little as he checks the tea kettle. "No, our lives are just a bit too busy at the moment. I guess if Kyoko ever decides to stop being a detective, then I might just have a chance to convince her to have children. But she's never been too keen on having kids I guess." Another chuckle, this time with a hint of a more somber tone. "We have really different views on it."

Togami's sure Naegi and Kirigiri would have different views, especially on a topic such as having kids. "You two are practically complete opposites. It’s astounding that you even made it past the dating stage." He comments, tapping a finger against the counter. "I'm not surprised Kirigiri would dislike kids, nor that you appear to love them."

Makoto hums in thought, a hand to his chin. “I guess we’re a little different when it comes to stuff like that, but I’m sure that I can convince her somed- oh!” He glances to the tea kettle, walking over to it and giving it another quick check. “Ah, the tea’s done!” Naegi chirps happily. He goes over to the cabinets, finding a teacup with ease. Byakuya would’ve suspected him to have visited before or something were it not for the look of pleased surprise on the boy’s face at having found them on his first try.

Makoto sets the cup down on the counter, but withholds it from Togami. “Do you have any honey here? It usually adds to the tea I make pretty well, though it’s fine if you don’t want any!”

He tsks, glancing at the tea before turning away to look at a nearby cupboard. “Yes, I believe we should have some…” He digs through it, and… finds none. Another tsk escapes him, this time harsher. “It seems the honey was forgotten at my home. I’ll go tell the guards to get some, I won’t be but a moment.”

The heir walks out before he assumes Makoto would object, marching to the entrance of the penthouse and opening the door. As expected the guards are patiently waiting outside, stopping idle chatter to listen to their employer. “Go out and pick up some honey for us.” Byakuya orders. What’s unexpected is one of them wanting to argue, the rest following suite.

So, it didn’t take a moment. It took a couple of minutes, the guards begrudgingly trudging off and leaving Byakuya with a now sour mood. He had expected Makoto to come over and check if things were alright in the few minutes it took to convince his bodyguards to leave for some honey, but was surprised with him still standing in the kitchen, seemingly lost in his own thoughts.

Byakuya clears his throat, the sound bringing Makoto to attention. “A-ah! S-sorry, are… are they gone?” He asks, strangely hesitant.

“Yes.” He replies curtly, walking over to the teacup. It’s clearly cooled by now, having been sitting out for quite some time now. The boy doesn’t appear disappointed by this, but is clearly nervous, wringing his hands and eyes darting left and right. About what, he’s not completely sure. It could theoretically be anything, but he’ll assume it has to do with the drink.

Before he can ask if something’s wrong, Makoto breaks the strangely tense silence. “D-do you… mind trying the d-drink now? W-we _ could _ wait for the honey, b-but I’d like to know if I b-brewed it well…” He scratches his cheek, a nervous habit Byakuya’s seen him do since high school. “I-it’s just-”

“I’ll taste it.” Byakuya quickly cuts him off, making the boy pause, his eyes widening in surprise for whatever reason. “I might as well check if it’s any good.” He’s sure it’s fine, with or without honey. “By the way, what might your job be? I don’t recall if you’ve mentioned it yet.” Byakuya asks as he picks up the cup, taking a large swig of it to get a good taste of the drink. After all, they still have plenty-

It feels like his tongue’s being dipped in acid right when the liquid begins to glide from the cup to his mouth. He’s too shocked to spit it out, swallowing it and letting the liquid sear his throat as it goes down. He would’ve screamed were it not for the agony of it, instead simply stumbling back and falling to the floor, head hitting hard against the sink. He glances up, hands to his throat and eyes pleading as they lock onto Makoto-

* * *

Something sparks to life in Makoto’s chest as he watches Byakuya drink the tea. His eyes casually dart to the floor beside him, a bottle of opened drain cleaner sitting there. Enoshima had sent him something, but since he hadn’t the chance to look he opted to just search for something in the kitchen. What luck, to find that they brought drain cleaner of all things on a business trip. It works well from what some quick research told him, so all he had to do was slip some into the tea while Byakuya argued with the guards. He’ll throw it away, since it has his fingerprints on it. No good in risking being found out.

Whatever sparked to life in him flares when he watches Byakuya stumble back with a choked cry(such a pitiful sound, a wonderfully terrible music to his ears), falling down with a loud bang from the cabinet doors under the sink being hit. Makoto feels himself shake a little. The emotion behind the sudden unwilled action is hard to pinpoint, far too hard to pinpoint. His eyes are watering, brimming with tears threatening to fall. But he knows they won’t. Not until later perhaps. But right now?

He’s never felt more fucking alive.

An uncharacteristic smile darts across his face. It’s fleeting, Makoto not having enough time to hide it before it turns to an expression of neutrality, but It still makes Byakuya’s eyes widen with fear nonetheless. He can just tell the truth is being pieced together in his head, pain being ignored for a single atomic second to realize the truth. Makoto opens his mouth to say something, but the words decide not to come out just yet, so he closes it.

Naegi slowly lifts himself from his position leaning over the counter, movements slow and far too drawn out. He walks around the island counter in the midst of the kitchen, deliberately kicking over the bottle for Byakuya to notice. The betrayal in his gaze… fuck, Makoto’s so fixated on it. He leans back against the island, now right across from Byakuya and looking down upon his writhing form.

“I-I…” He starts, tugging at his collar nervously. “I-I’m sorry, T-Togami-kun, _ god _, I’m s-so sorry, but… but I h-had to do it.” He stumbles over his words, finding it more and more difficult to speak as Byakuya slowly, painfully dies in front of him. A choked sound is the response he gets, watery in a way. And Makoto notices that he’s starting to spit up blood, which drives him to action.

He grabs a paper towel, wetting it before going over and wiping off the blood as it dribbles out. Byakuya’s in barely any shape to fight, which is… well, he doesn’t want to describe it. He doesn’t wish to acknowledge how he feels about the scene, not right now. “M-my job… I-I’m a hitman, which I-I don’t think anyone r-really ever thought I-I’d get into...” He chuckles, the sound coming out forced and nearly as choked as Byakuya pained squeaks. God, he’s so damn pitiful, so desperate... 

**_So_** **_fucking fantastic._**

“I-it’s a well paying job, r-really. I-it’s simple too! Just n-need to kill, that’s all. I-it’s so, so **fucking simple** .” He growls viciously, venom dripping off each syllable. Who such hatred is directed at, it’s hard to tell. Perhaps he hates everyone, or perhaps he hates himself. Maybe both. “B-but I guess _ y-you _ wouldn’t know a-anything about h-h-hardship, o-or d-desperation. You wouldn’t kn-know what it’s l-like to become so absolutely desperate that you need to end other people’s lives to get b-”

“Ah.” Makoto stops himself from speaking any more, just now noticing that Byakuya’s eyes have gone dull and glazed, expression set in an eternal glare. Somehow, it manages to pull out a chuckle from the boy, one lacking any definite emotion. He stands up, darting out of the room and then out of the penthouse, going to the nearest fire alarm and pulling the switch.

Makoto’s made his choice, now. There’s no going back for a person like him.

* * *

Naegi stumbles to his car, clambering into the driver’s seat and driving away from the hotel. He had sent Junko a quick text about the body after he managed to frame him as simply unconscious, sneaking away from the crowd evacuating because of the fire alarm and dumping him in the dumpster outside. He didn’t bother to check her reply though, he just… couldn’t bring himself to. He _ can’t _ bring himself to, even now. It’s all hitting him at once, like he’s being struck with electricity over and over.

He can’t forget that look on Byakuya’s face. That cold, dead expression, radiating betrayal and despair. ‘It’s surely a sight that’d make Junko laugh.’ Makoto thinks absentmindedly, right before a sob escapes past his quivering lips. Why? Why did he accept this damned job? When had it started, when had he started needing to kill for money, only to start _ wanting _it? They don’t need the money, they’re perfectly well off. Kyoko’s a famed detective with a rich family line, they’re doing perfectly damn fine. Does he just want to be able to pull his weight? Does he just not want to feel guilty for leaving all the work for her? Does he just like the money?

Does he just like the **death?**

Naegi picks up his phone, and checks his bank account.

He’s a billion yen richer.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So you may have noticed by now, but I've changed all mentions I could find of Makoto and Kyoko being married to them simply being engaged. That was a bad on my part, and i wanna stick somewhat to the plot and some details of the rp this is based on. Not that it effects much of anything, i just want them to be engaged

The night had long arrived as Makoto pulls into the driveway of his and Kyoko’s home, stars shining high above. Kyoko is surely to be worried for him, considering he left with such stuttery and nearly _ fearful _ parting words. But over his time tearfully sobbing in his car, he’s formulated a lie to tell. She won’t bat an eye at it, surely. After all, he’s quite the emotional person. Finding out an old friend’s gone missing so suddenly is sure to send Makoto to panic, the detail of him to have been checking in at the hotel furthering the believability of his lie. 

The wind of the night sends a chill through Naegi as he steps out of the car, the creak of branches around their home and the jingle of keys being the only sounds heard. He passes by their second car, bag held tight in his right hand. The cold couldn’t be farther from his mind, thoughts, both invasive and rational, consumed by a self-made static he welcomes with open arms.

The door clicks loudly as he unlocks it, kicking off his shoes as soon as he’s inside their quaint little home. He locks the door behind him with haste, letting his bag plop onto the floor. “I’m home.” He announces with a far too flat voice, alarming Kyoko of his presence before she can come out with a gun in hand to see who it is, certainly not expecting Makoto of all people to be arriving at their home tonight. Naegi doesn’t quite care right now though, in all honesty. Perhaps he’d thank Kyoko for shooting him. It’s what he deser- wait a second. No.

She’d have blood on her hands. He’d hate for her to hold such guilt for someone such as he.

Makoto blinks, having been standing there a bit too long. He nearly stumbles into their room, darkened hazel eyes locking onto Kyoko sitting up in their bed. He just barely acknowledges her, opting instead to slip quietly into his side of the bed without a word. Warmth soon presses up against him, the usually soothing lavender scent ever present around his fiancée invading his senses. “You’re back early.” She states.

“Trip got cancelled.” He lacks any energy to even utter a sigh, thankful for the darkness of the night shielding Kyoko from seeing his still freshly wet eyes. The boy is sure to keep his vision off Kyoko, lest she elicits the crushing guilt pressing down upon his entire being. “G’night.” He mutters dully, not awaiting any sort of answer before rolling over and practically passing out facedown.

* * *

Makoto stirs, greeted by a world of blurred colors.

A strange, sickly sweet scent washes over his numbed senses, very slowly blinking before being suddenly placed onto the ground. Or at least, whatever the ground may be here. The scenery is blurred and hazy, hard to grasp or even focus at all. He would know this to be a dream, were his mind not in the throes of unconsciousness.

Naegi watches Byakuya’s body fall in front of him, blood cascading down from his open mouth. Fear is painted upon his complexion, once crystal clear blue pools of his eyes now forever clouded by death.

Before he can dare to even react to the scene the scent of smoke floods his senses, a loud _ bang _ ringing in his ears. Gaze flitting down, his sight now lies upon his hand, curled tight around a simple gun, the best his disturbed mind could dream up, most likely. Without his will Naegi then looks back up, locking onto the body of another one of his friends. The colors make it hard to differentiate who exactly they may be, but the figure now lying on the ground with a bullet in their cracked skull is labeled as a friend, thus eliciting the emotions he should feel for such an awful sight.

Yet seconds go by, lacking a single reaction from Makoto. Yes, the anguish and fear swirl in his bloodstained heart, but not a single sign of such is expressed outwardly. It’s forcefully locked up, shoved to the darkest corners of his mind that created this scenario in the first place, just as Makoto is.

And only able to take the back seat in this nightmare, he continues to watch each of his old and new friends get gunned down one by one. With each new death a new streak of pink paints the swirls of the world, covering up the painting bit by bit until there’s barely anything but infinite whirlpools of the color he sees near daily. And then, out of the corner of his eye, Naegi spots it.

_ Light, lovely lavender, standing out so starkly against the land he’s painted. _

And within a moment, he’s upon her, mentally writhing while the scene plays out. Makoto’s hands brush over silky delicate locks, the soft lavender color matching the powerful scent. His eyes fall to half-lidded, very slowly wrapping his arms around her torso. The dream version of his fiancée makes no move to pull away, easily falling into his bloodied grip. He leans down a little, purring and nuzzling his face against her neck. Naegi makes sure to handle her as he would the most delicate of glass, hands subconsciously tracing up her submissive body.

Another gunshot rings in his ears, lavender-colored blood drenching Makoto’s form.

A step back, and her body easily drops to the floor. Hot pink of the endless sky begins to melt and part upon Naegi, tainting the already stained world once more in the fresh color. He grins, stare flitting up to a new presence just a few feet away. The presence attracting attention being a large wolf the size of himself, frozen midstep. Strangely, this appears to be the most intricately made part of his little dreamworld. The “fur” swirls with black and white, made from a dripping substance that never leaves its body, only shifting back into the eerily unstable form. Clear lines are engraved into the animal’s body, glowing a bright neon green. It flexes its large, dagger-like claws idly, mouth parting to let release a large amount of steam and drool, a dog tag hanging from the dull green collar around its neck.

He reads “Naegi Makoto” upon its sparkling golden surface.

_ Old red blood spurts from his stomach as the wolf plunges its claws into its prey _

* * *

Makoto stirs with the grace of not having dreamt at all, as if he had a peaceful slumber as he did months ago. But his eyes flutter open to the scene of the covers mostly thrown off the bed, desperately clutching a pillow and drenched in sweat. Yet, there’s an odd feeling of relaxation buzzing over his nerves, the man needing to force himself to slowly lift his head from the comfort of the pillo-

_ Ah. _

Naegi’s face turns bright red when he shifts, noticing his current position. Arms and legs latched tight around the pillow, a peculiar smell on it that makes his nose crinkle as he leers back, the feeling of calmness even after such an intense nightmare… it certainly stacks up to a really awful conclusion. One that he wishes weren’t the case.

Naefi scrambles off the bed, thankful that Kyoko’s working today, as she does every day. If she had woken up to see him like that, he wouldn’t be able to speak at all to her the rest of the day. Ignoring all other needs he darts to the bathroom, hastily cleaning himself up. He’ll take a shower later, since he doesn’t exactly have any hits to take care of. Today, at least.

Once done with changing clothes, he exits the bathroom, gaze falling to the chaos he left in his wake. Yeah, they’ll _ definitely _ need a wash. With a sigh Makoto lifts up the blankets and sheets, placing them on the floor in a pile. As he moves to slipping the pillow cases off each pillow-might as well wash them all, it’s been a while-thoughts drift into his mind. Each one ramping up in anxiety.

And all of them centering around his career, the job still feeling so fresh despite having been _ months _ since he went into it. It used to be so much harder. The ring of a gunshot, the feeling of steel sinking into soft flesh and tearing it apart with the simplest of movements, the utter destruction so easy to unleash upon the human body… all of it, still ringing in his head now. But those feelings and sounds were so much shriller at the start, a string of nightmares and paranoia, fear that one day Kyoko would look at him and pull out a pair of handcuffs to send him off to prison. 

Now, it’s all subdued. Not only are his hands caked in pink anymore, the body count having reached double digits by the second month. You can imagine how far it’s escalated now. Far enough that he can’t just back out and leave it all behind. He’s forced himself into this fate. There’s nothing to be d-

The ring of the phone, more importantly it being _ his _ phone, rings through the room, pulling Makoto’s attention from his thoughts to the device. He circles around the stripped bed, scooping up the ringing cell and answering without bothering to check the number nor caller id. He didn’t feel much need to exercise caution with whomever may be wishing to speak to him now. “Hello?”

What a terribly wrong assumption.

“Go look at the news.” A prim voice says flatly, though the owner of such a voice is extraordinarily clear. Yet, he complies without even a thought of potential danger in doing so or even thinking of questioning her, marching into the living room and turning on the tv, it having been turned to the news beforehand. Whether it was from Kyoko waking up a bit too early and watching the news to pass the time, or just having been left on that channel, it’s pointless to guess. Makoto’s attention is glued on the much more interesting contents of the channel.

‘Just hours ago, a video was released on multiple platforms with the missing Togami Byakuya bound to a chair and appearing unconscious. The heir to the Togami Corporation’s captor has demanded at least 60% of the yen Togami Corp owns. Reports say that a famed detective found a phone number in the pocket of one of the four guards reported to have been accompanying the heir on his business trip, the reason why the left being unknown because of a malfunction in the security cameras within the hotel he was staying in prior. The phone number is being used to communicate with the anonymous captor to reason with them. Meanwhile, other authorities are attempting to track down the location of where the video was taped, though chances are looking slim on finding it.’

Naegi’s eyes widen, pupils nothing more than shaky pinpricks of light against soft yet watery hazel. Words don’t wish to form at first, too shocked by this strange turn of events. But a sudden burst of anger snaps him from his surprised daze, attention back on the voice coming out of the phone still hover by his ear, a disgustingly sweet laugh incomparable to any other echoing through his shaken mind.

“E-Enoshima-san!” He just barely stifles the growl threatening to escape him, though he’s sure Junko picked up on it anyways. “Wh-what the hell is this?! Why’s Togami-kun there when I-I…” He pauses, thinking over his words again. “... W-when h-he’s supposed to be d-dead?” His voice unwillingly becomes a little meeker upon mentioning the state Byakuya should be in. A natural reaction to mentioning death, perhaps embedded deeply into his once pasifistic nature torn asunder.

“UwU yeah he’s reaaaaaaally dead. Like, _ super _ fuckin’ dead. It was a real bitch to clean him up so that he still looked at least kinda alive, but I guess it’s fine since we got the bitch…” his employer sighs dejectedly, acting so casual about this Naegi finds himself wishing to just slap some sense into her. Then again, sense is something far gone from a girl such as her. “Kiiiiiinda why I told you to knock him out… but I guess it doesn’t really matter…”

Despite her depressed sighs he _ knows _ is completely fake, Makoto calms, biting his lip nervously. “S-sorry…” He replies softly, lacking the aggression he had conjured up moments before. He certainly should have just listened and tried to find a way to knock him out rather than kill him. And in such a painful way, too… what commanded Makoto to prefer to kill him rather than simply leave him alive? He would have been in the clutches of Junko, but still, he’d have been _ alive. _

The realization hits like a bullet to the head; it’s a sudden, sharp thought that makes him quiver from the oncoming emotions stirring within his chest at such truth. Junko’s rambling about something in that cutesy voice of hers, though Naegi pays it no mind. Rather, he moves the phone away from his ear, staring down at the bright screen with the blankest expression he’s ever had.

Byakuya had a chance to stay alive, and he **blew it.**

The call ends with a tap of his thumb. And all Makoto can find himself able to do is **scream.**

* * *

Just another day, just another night.

Streetlights grant Kyoko a tad better sight as she drives down the road, the soft growl of the car as it accelerates forward and sounds of nature echoing from the forest ahead being the only sounds to be heard within the dead of night. A welcome quiet, in Kyoko’s opinion. But one still filled with mystery, implanting an instinctual fear within her that buzzes along her every nerve as she drives down the road.

Soon enough, it morphs into a dirt road, one mostly overgrown since it only leads to one lonely house nestled at the edge of a forest. And despite the darkness being near suffocating and starkly contrasting the light of the car’s headlights, Kyoko still finds it an alluring sight. The promise of seeing her fiancé and silently, low-key begging for comfort being what leads her away from the car with keys in hand and entering the quaint house.

“I’m home!” She calls into the darkened living room, which isn’t very unexpected. More often than not Makoto’s waiting for her, but it appears that this time is one of the rare exceptions. Which… honestly makes perfect sense, what with the recent kidnapping of Byakuya. She, Makoto, and Byakuya had formed a dysfunctional friend group back in high school, one that people didn’t really expect to come to fruition. Yet somehow the shortest of them had managed to pull them together, and had attempted to start a relationship with both of them at once. Kyoko was neutral to the idea, just as Byakuya was, but the taller male had rejected Makoto for reasons unknown at the time. Makoto had taken it well considering Togami’s soft and near apologetic tone, but that didn’t make it any less easy to watch unfold.

Surely, Naegi must still hold such feelings now. She certainly wouldn’t doubt it, being so tied to his emotions. He wouldn’t be the type to just brush off a love for someone. Kyoko blinks, shaking herself from her dull reminiscing. She sorts through her bag to make sure everything is there and in its rightful place before walking through the living room, noting that it’s… strangely untouched. Usually there’s at least a blanket laid out or even something as simple as a half-empty glass of water on the coffee table. Yet currently, the room lacks any signs of disturbance from one of its common inhabitants.

Kyoko makes a quick stop at the large glass tank nestled on a low table in the corner of the room, just a few feet to the right of a chair placed by the large couch. A set of lights lay placed on the top, shining warm light down upon an albino ball python. “At least he made sure Tenshi was okay…” She mutters to herself, opening up the top of the tank to give the little female snake a few pats on the head. She bleps to the detective in response, ruby red eyes shining happily while she nuzzles her head against Kyoko’s fingers.

She pulls away, letting the snake continue to soak in the heat of the light. She has more pressing matters to attend to, playing with their pet snake can be left for another time. The girl turns, deep purple gaze scanning the darkness of the home. She has to assume Makoto to be awake, considering the sound of the door and the yell announcing her presence. Perhaps stirring from his often deep sleep, too lazy to rise from bed to greet her despite it being what he always does when she comes back from work.

Kyoko’s steps resound through the home, the floorboards quietly creaking underfoot. If she were not someone hardened by the much greater terrors surrounding detective work, she’s sure she would find the silence more unnerving. But the walk from the living room, through the hall, and finally to the bedroom is a short one. No need to turn on any lights to disturb Makoto any-

Her thoughts are cut off when lips crash into hers, the surprise of such an action allowing the other to push her against the wall of the bedroom. Reflex nearly makes her kick whoever has currently pinned her against the wall and is kissing her deeply, but the silhouette makes her instead simply push them off with little difficulty. “Makoto-kun!” She holds the boy by his shoulders, both of them panting heavily and clear blushes dusting their faces. “What are you doing?”

He whines in response at first, gazing up at her with a desperation unlike anything she’s ever seen from him. “Can we just have th-this one night? Please?” Naegi answers with a huff, hands planted firmly against the wall and keeping Kirigiri in her spot against it. Silence follows his words, the girl studying him closely. But before she can form an answer he pulls away, the step somewhat shaky. “S-sorry, I shouldn’t… force that on you. I’m s-so sorry.” He stutters out the apology while she watches on, her tired mind dumbing down her ability to respond quickly. “I-I’ll just… go and sleep on the couch or something.” A nervous chuckle, his hand moving up to rub the nape of his neck. “Good ni-”

Kyoko’s gloved hand latches onto his wrist, stopping the boy in his tracks. She hadn’t exactly thought to do that, pure emotion and perhaps something more driving her to stop her fiancé from leaving the room. But she’s not exactly opposed to the action, lightly tugging him back. “No, it’s… it’s okay, Makoto-kun.” A sharp intake of breath makes her gaze flit up to meet the boy’s wide, surprised stare. “We can do it if you wish.” A subtle spark of playfulness flashes in her gaze, the other immediately catching on. “Though I suppose it would be safer for you to warn me next time.” She goes ahead and slips off her shoes, abandoning them on the bedroom’s carpet floor in favor of nearing her future husband. “I nearly kicked you in the stomach.”

He blinks, taking a moment to process her words before smiling. It’s so clearly half-hearted however, forced out to make it appear as if he were at least somewhat amused. “Ah, yeah. Sorry.” Another apology spills from him, his voice still soft as ever. She looks upon him fondly, taking his hand in hers to rub light circles upon his skin. “I-I’m just… really stressed. From…” He makes a vague gesture to nothing with his free hand, as if the words will come to him faster doing so. “... A lot of things.” He says vaguely, not really giving Kyoko a single clue as to what he may be referring to. She has a very good guess, however.

“Makoto-kun.” She grabs his attention near immediately, letting the silence stagnate for a moment before continuing. “It’s fine. I understand.” She moves closer, very slowly nudging Naegi through the darkness. They come upon the bed relatively quickly, Makoto being pushed back against it. “We can do it, if it’ll help distract from what happened.”

Makoto freezes for a moment, staring up at Kyoko from his position lying upon the mattress. “... Thank you.” He responds with a voice holding a bit more confidence than before. He scoots back, laying down in a comfortable position and staring up at Kyoko expectantly. 

The silence is neither tense nor comfortable as Kyoko clambers onto the bed, the soft rustling of covers and faint breaths the only sounds as she climbs on top of Makoto. “It isn’t a problem, really.” She whispers calmly into his ear, nipping at his ear lobe before slowly trailing down his neck. There’s a sharp intake of breath, followed by a satisfyingly heavy exhale. There’s a certain shakiness to it though, a shakiness that isn’t out of any sort of pleasure.

Kyoko trails delicate kisses along his slightly tan skin, feeling the boy heat up bit by bit beneath her. “Are…” She sits up, bringing her face close to his, worry upon Kyoko’s face as clear as the blush dusting her pale complexion. “Are you sure you want to do this?” She asks tentatively, their mouths dangerously close to one another.

His eyes appear to water somewhat, but is quick to blink away the glossy sheen attempting to form over his light hazel eyes. “M-mhm.” He responds with a nod, and despite the arousal slowly stirring within him, Makoto’s already feeling… calmer, in a sense. She can tell by the way his muscles are slowly relaxing with each chaste touch, the way his expression softens and breath slows to barely audible huffs as she strips him of his top, hands gliding along his chest and down his torso.

Kyoko pays his subtly gained muscle no mind, instead favoring to very gently tug at the hem of his boxers, sitting up into a more comfortable position. That position being just on top of Makoto, straddling him while making him kick off his pants. She can at least see desperation in his eyes, attempting to replace the guilt stabbing into him. Her resolve hardens, completely focused on this task.

They could both use a bit of time to relax, after all.

* * *

Makoto stirs late into the next day once again. Or technically just that day, since they both went to sleep quite late. He lacked any sort of dreams this time, which is a very welcome thing to not have. He’d rather not live out killing all his friends and waking up without care for it. At least what they did was refreshing for the both of them it seemed, he just hopes Kyoko didn’t catch anything.

Speaking of his fiancée... “She’s gone.” Naegi mutters under his breath, looking down upon the neatly covered empty spot beside him. He had hoped she’d choose to stay home today considering how… weak she can be. But it seems she wants to tough it out this time. Again. A sigh of disappointment escapes him, folding the sheets and blankets off himself to go get a shower.

Before he can however, he notices the text on his phone. And dread is quick to coil itself around his heart, the warmth he felt hours ago now nothing but a distant memory, swept away by the chill rushing over his nerves. And the self-loathing following the blush that appears upon his face, to be contacted once again by **her.**

“;3 u up for a bit more fun, Mako-chan?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so there was supposed to be a skippable sex bit in this, but im not confident in my sad sex writing skills so I decided to skip it. It still happened tho bcs it may set up for some later things if i can remember to write it down when i get to it


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BJKJBKBJKJB THIS TOOK FOREVER but!!!!!! I wanna work on this more bcs I have so much planned for it, and only recently has someone really motivated me to work more on it(they know who they are 💖)

“Alright, so!” Makoto hears the click of a pen on the other end of the line, then the gentle tap of it upon paper. “To recap, you’re facin’ a big bitch this time, ya dumb little bitch boy! Oogami Sakura, the world famous martial artist! She’s gonna be hangin’ out for a tournament that’s goin’ on for three days smackdab in Kyoto, and I want you to kill her in that time frame. She’s gonna be arriving at a nearby spa resort with the rest of the contestants two days before the event, which happens to be tomorrow night! So yeah, little bit more free time for you to plan and all that shit.”

Naegi nods and gives a gentle hum of acknowledgment, idly balling up the thick cover of the bed as he listens. He’d get his stress ball, but he’s sure the insane woman would certainly hear its constant squeaking. “U-um, Enoshima-san?” He starts once she’s gone quiet for a few seconds.

“Eh?” He hears the sound of something heavy landing upon something soft, assuming it to be the clipboard she held moments ago. “What’s up, Eggy-chan? Ya bailin’ on me or somethin’?”

The male squeaks at the accusation, knowing full well of the consequences of refusal. “N-no! I’m not! I’m just… curious, I guess.” He chuckles anxiously, one hand rubbing at the nape of his neck in an attempt of self comfort. “Why is it that you keep requesting me to… k-kill my classmates? I-I guess it could just be coincidence or something, bu-”

He’s cut off by a loud, obnoxiously scoff. “Blah blah blah, all I’m hearin’ is shit that you DON’T NEED TO KNOW ABOUT!!” The boy leers back from the phone, wincing at the volume. 

“S-sorry, Enoshi-”

“Don’t “sorry” me, dumbass! Just do well on the job, aight? You don’t wanna lose my favor, do ya~?”

He squeaks, nearly dropping the phone from how sweaty his palm has become. “N-no! O-of course not, E-Enoshima-san!”

Boisterous laughter makes the man’s already prominent anxiety spike. “That’s what I thought! God, you’re the best greedy bastard I’ve met! So anxious and shy, yet a real killer underneath! Practically  _ made _ for murderin’! Upupupu!” Naegi cringes at the laugh, finding it to always be able to strike a nerve within him when it happens to scratch against his ears. “Alrighty, I gotta go, puppy! Ciao~” She chirps, just as the line cuts off.

Naegi swallows nervously, setting the phone to the side. “What am I doing…?” He groans softly, though there’s no one in the house right now to hear his doubting words. He’s far too terrified to face the truth of his actions, however. So rather than acknowledge that he’s murdering his friends for cash _ (or maybe not cash. Maybe, something far worse) _ , he slides out of bed, shaky gaze sweeping the dark shadows of the master bedroom. His nerves will take some time to be soothed, so looking into the hit would be idiotic right now, especially with such a vaste amount of time to spare.

The house remains draped in a blanket of silence, and despite the sun being well into the sky, so too does darkness accompany it. Which Makoto takes as a blessing, as his thoughts fall into a lull of mindless wandering, bloodier ideas being kept at bay with the presence of a dear pet. “Hey Tenshi.” He greets the snake in a soft voice, reaching into the tank to scoop the albino ball python into his hands.

She quickly latches herself onto his wrist, allowing him to easily hoist her up and carry her over to the couch. He sits down with a soft sigh, fingers gliding down the spine of the cold-blooded pet. Ruby red meets light hazel, the snake keeping up the stare for a tad too long. Then again, the snake’s always shown a sort of high intellect.

“Tenshi…” He whines softly, breaking the eye contact. The snake nudges her nose against his hand urgently, eventually getting her owner to give in. It’s just a pet, after all. It’d be nice to talk about all of this awful stuff, despite only being able to speak of it to a snake. “Alright alright, fine.” He chuckles as he pets her once more, though the sound is half-hearted at best. “I just… I’m not sure about what I’m doing anymore.” He exhales deeply, relaxing against the couch and staring up at the ceiling. “The constant killing, the calls from Enoshima-san, Kyoko being on my case… I-I feel like I’m gonna  _ snap _ if all this keeps going on without a break.”

Naegi hums, looking down at the albino animal once more. “Then again, I’m talking to a  _ snake _ about my problems.” He laughs, ignoring the sliver of concern in the animal's eyes to simply savor her presence. “Maybe I really am-”

The muffled ring of a phone makes the man jolt in surprise, glancing left and right before realizing that his phone is in the other room. He gets up, carefully carrying Tenshi with him into the bedroom. He sighs, setting the snake down on the bed and scooping up the phone, not bothering to look at the caller id as he accepts the call. “What is it?” He asks in a tired, snappy tone, uncaring of any comments Junko makes on such disrespect.

_ “Naegi-kun?”  _ A light voice asks in a voice of concern.  _ “Is something wrong? Am I calling at a bad time?” _

Makoto’s eyes widen, realizing that this is, in fact, not Enoshima. “M-Maizono-san!” He yelps, shakily holding the phone with his left hand while letting Tenshi slither onto his right arm, making sure the snake is latched onto his limb safely before marching back to the living room. “I-I’m sorry, I thought you were someone else! Wh-what’s up?” He’s honestly more relieved than anything that it’s Sayaka. She’s always had a knack for predicting what others are thinking though, so he’ll have to be careful with his words. 

_ “Ah, nothing! I’m just on a break from auditioning and thought I’d call you!”  _ She chirps in a voice that summons waves of nostalgia onto the boy on the line’s other end.  _ “We haven’t talked in a while, so… I thought it’d be okay. I’ll hang up if you really-” _

“No!” Makoto shouts, startling the snake by his side. “N-no, it’s… it’s okay.” He forces himself to relax, sighing deeply. “I’d love to talk to you, Maizono-san. It gets kind of lonely, being at home all the time with only Tenshi.” He chuckles, setting the phone on speaker to pet the snake.

_ “Tenshi?” _

“Oh, you haven’t seen her? I post pictures of her on Twitter all the time!” He pulls up Sayaka’s number, sending her a picture of Tenshi curled up on the couch asleep. “She’s an albino ball python, Kyoko somehow managed to run across her in an exotic pet shop a few months ago.”

There’s a moment of silence on the phone, likely the pop star looking over the picture.  _ “Awwww, she’s so cute! I didn’t take you for one to like snakes, Naegi-kun!” _

“Eh? What’s that supposed to mean?”

The girl giggles at his soft whines, making him blush from embarrassment.  _ “Nothing, nothing! I just took you for a dog person.” _

“Well, yeah, I like dogs.” He shrugs. “I still love Tenshi though. Besides, I’m not sure if Kyoko would be able to handle owning a dog.” He says with a sheepish chuckle, scratching his face. “They’re so active, and she’s not too keen on keeping noisy pets around.”

_ “I get that. She’s always seemed like a cat person. How is Kirigiri-chan doing, by the way?”  _ He can practically hear the playful smirk adorning her expression in her voice.  _ “You two get up to anything as of late~?” _

“Oh, yeah!” Makoto chirps, barely noticing the teasing tone. “We’re gonna be going on a date in a few days and-” He pauses, eyes widening in realization as his face turns beet red. “H-hey! No, w-we didn’t… we h-haven’t done anything like  _ that _ !” He yells in a voice an octave or two above the norm.

Sayaka merely giggles.  _ “Alright, I’ll let you off the hook for now~”  _ She chuckles, then sighs.  _ “But, um… I know this is a pretty sudden topic change, but are you doing alright Naegi-kun?”  _ There’s a beat of silence, Makoto’s lack of response spurring the girl to continue.  _ “I mean, I know Kirigiri-san’s kinda busy and that leaves you all alone… and if I still know you well, you aren’t the type to talk about your problems…”  _ She trails off, and this time Makoto takes his chance.

“No, that’s… that’s wrong, Maizono-san. Kyoko’s busy right now, but it’s not all the time, so I’m not  _ always _ alone. She’s just got… a really difficult case right now.” A case difficult for both her, and him. “B-but once she’s done with it, we’re gonna take a long break from our jobs! It’ll be great!” They both certainly deserve it. But he might be taking a more permanent break. Likely in jail, if Kyoko finds out he’s the person she’s been looking for…

_ “Huh. Right…” _ He catches the suspicion in her voice, but doesn’t bother commenting.  _ “So… what’s  _ _ your _ _ job? I don’t think you’ve ever really told anyone your career plans other than maybe being a therapist, which I know you aren’t doing because you aren’t rambling about them.” _

“How do you know I would if I was a therapist?”

_ “Because you would’ve started by my question.” _

Naegi mentally curses himself. “Ahah, welp, I guess you got me then.” He lays down, a yawn escaping him. “I have an online job with some small company. Nothing interesting, really.” He chuckles, the sound forced. “It’s… it’s okay. It’s an okay job, it helps pay the bills. And Kyoko needs someone at home to take care of chores and stuff.” He doesn’t feel bitter about it, not at all! He’s fine here, since he’s not exactly craving her at home all the time. That’d be very inconvenient.

_ “Ah… alright then. Just remember, I’m always here for you to talk to- hm?” _ She cuts herself off, another voice ringing over the line before she returns.  _ “I’m gonna have to go now Naegi-kun, it was nice talking to you again!” _

“A-ah, okay.” Naegi responds, but before she can hang up he speaks again. “U-um, actually! I have a question.”

He isn’t sure why he’s asking this, but the girl stops right before ending the call, unable to bite back a scoff.  _ “Yes? What is it?” _ She says snappily, clearly rushing him. And she desperately needs to go, he knows that well! But… he isn’t sure who else he could even ask about this.

“U-um, I just…d-do you think this is okay?” He swallows hard, blinking back tears threatening to prick his light hazel eyes. “I-I mean, I’m… I’m at home all the time, and Kyoko’s at work all the time, so we just... we don’t spend time with each other anymore. And I know she’s taking a break from her next case, but that’s if I can get any time off from my own work. It keeps me distracted, but… I don’t know, I’m just lonely. Even if it pays good! So… what should I do?” He snorts after a few seconds, laying back in his seat. “But I should ask you for advice or anything. You’re busy, and I-”

_ “Naegi-kun.”  _ Sayaka cuts in, making him stop.  _ “You’re not stupid for worrying about your love life. If you’re unhappy with your job, even if it gives a good wage,  _ ** _quit_ ** _ . Quit as soon as possible. I’ve seen too many people get themselves wrapped up in something they really don’t want to be in. You’re still young, and have plenty of time to settle for a job you like. Besides, Kirigiri-chan’s a famous detective, I’m sure she gets plenty of money to sustain both of you, and your snake! If you can’t right now, then try to at least push for her to spend some time with you. I’m sure it’ll help you both out to catch a break.” _

Naegi’s silent for a few moments, stunned at her sudden spiel. And he almost speaks, almost points out how she seems to be speaking from experience. Like se were caught up in a similar situation. But he has no place to ask, not at all. He’s barely been in her life for a long while, and the loose connection of middle and high school gives him no right to suddenly begin probing her for her problems after years of silence from them both. So he doesn’t. “Thank you, Maizono-san.” He replies softly, and she simply giggles.

_ “No problem! I recommend going to a nice restaurant or something, good food can distract people well!”  _ She chirps, but a voice Naegi can’t quite make out chimes in over the line.  _ “Damn! I really gotta go, Naegi-kun. I’ll talk to you later!”  _ And without a wish to hear his farewell, the line lapses into beeps. And he is left alone once more.

He sits there for some time, listening to the beeps ring consistently in his ear. Before scales rub up against his skin, and he finally slams the phone down onto the couch cushion. “O-oh, Tenshi…” He glances down, studying the snake with soft eyes. “You’re probably cold, huh?” He scoops up the snake, watching the girl ball up in the dip created by his cupped hands, carrying the ball python over to the glass tank and letting her slither under the heating lamp.

With Tenshi taken care of, he turns to go and collapse onto the couch. He’s weaved a whole lie, though also honest. Whether Sayaka caught a hint of his true nature or not, she hadn’t called him out. But what if she had? Her intuition is likely still impeccable, if not more so. She could’ve caught something, laying grounds for suspicious and oh god, she could figure him out he’s  _ gonna get caught he’s gonna get found out and go to jail and his life is doomed because of course it is no matter what he does he’s  _ ** _dead-_ **

The doorbell rings, making Makoto jolt from his bout of panic. No, he can’t get paranoid now. He’s been doing well these past few months, and he’ll do well for a few more. And he hates to acknowledge it, but he’s stuck. It’s too late to quit, but Maizono’s advice offered something of use, thankfully. Perhaps they should go out to dinner… after he does this job, of course! He just… he needs the money! That’s all, that’s… oh yeah, the doorbell.

He barely notices he’s moved until he turns the knob of the front door, locks undone mindlessly. There’s something he and Kyoko both share, and that’s an amount of paranoia. Enough for them both to put on an extra lock or two, just for their safety despite being hidden within a clearing of the woods. A blast of cold air greets the boy as he opens the door-

And a case sits upon the porch. No one there, not anymore. But he’s sure the deliverer was trained to keep out of sight. Especially if whatever’s inside is from someone he knows well. Well enough that it may or may not be a dangerous item to either him, or others. Who knows, could be both.

Humming the tune of one of Sayaka’s songs under his breath, Naegi grabs the box to bring it inside. Or, well, he would if he had any degree of strength. So he opts to push it inside, huffing as he manages to pull it up onto the couch. Whatever it is, it’s heavy. And hopefully it’s nothing serious. Perhaps something Kyoko ordered? She does that sometimes without telling him.

He quickly disregards such vain hope when he finally opens the box, revealing a brand new sniper rifle with his damn name on it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :3 im so excited for the next chapter it's gonna be g r e a t

**Author's Note:**

> Here's a link to my server! It's a Danganronpa and Persona server, but there's spoiler tcs for both series so it's pretty much welcome to anyone. Also it's really small 🥺 please join  
https://discord.gg/HTFp4kU


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